Stockholm Syndrome
by Heartbeat101
Summary: AU Hiei's the best thief in the business. Getting caught was...humiliating, to say the least. He's determined to have his revenge on the redhead who dared imprison him. Unfortunately, falling for said redhead is becoming an unforseen complication...HxK
1. Prologue

The idea for this story just hit me one day, and refused to get the hell out of my head. So here it is. This is just the prologue, so don't worry. Things will definitely be heating up. Soon. Points if you can tell me (without looking it up!) what the title means!

Title: Stockholm Syndrome

Pairing: Hiei/Kurama

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. Or any of it's characters.

Read and enjoy!

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Prologue

Things had been going well lately. But things always tended to go well for billionaires. Kurama had everything: money, lovers, power, looks, connections. But even a perfect world got boring. In fact, probably more so than a normal world. As a result, Kurama had been allowing Youko more and more time in control. All _he_ asked of life was a challenge.

"Sir, I have the information you requested on the thief Hiei." The silence was interrupted by a young—in appearance only—woman in a pink kimono.

Youko's favorite pastime had always been thievery. Kurama certainly didn't need the money, so Youko only took small things. Pretty objects that caught his eye. Souvenirs. Naturally, when hearing about the other master burglar in the business, Youko was curious. Such a thief must be excellent to survive in the modern world with his identity revealed. He wanted to test the man.

"Thank you Boton. Bring it here, will you?"

And so Kurama had his secretary pull up all the information she could find on Hiei. There wasn't much, Kurama thought as he skimmed through the report. No one had ever actually come into contact with the thief. Or, if they had, they weren't telling.

There was some useful information to be gleaned from the file however. Hiei had been suspected of robbing some of the richest people in the world, somehow getting in and out of heavily guarded mansions with ease. And all within the last decade.

So guards would be useless. And the police were out of the question, they would have far too many inquiries. Kurama could just see it now,

_"So, Mr. Kurama, let me get this straight. You want me to send a squad over to your mansion tonight, because you've been able to predict the next target of the infamous thief Hiei. May I ask how?"_

No, definitely not. Besides, they'd been tracking the criminal unsuccessfully for years now. Kurama chuckled; the man had even managed to acquire a private force dedicated solely to brining him in. Rumor had it there was a demonic member on the squad, but who trusted rumors?

Kurama—and, of course, Youko—were looking forward to catching this particular thief on their own.

His secretary interrupted his train of thought to add, "Sir, there was also some classified information that I did not include in the file."

He looked at her questioningly, "And why is that?"

She coughed, face turning slightly pink with embarrassment. "Well, it wasn't exactly open to the public if you catch my drift sir."

Kurama laughed quietly at that. So she hadn't acquired all her information legally. He had no problems with that. After all, her ability to hack into almost anything was one of the reasons he hired her. The girl was a genius with computers.

"What did you find?" He wondered aloud, focusing his gaze on her.

She fidgeted, then blurted out, "Hiei is a demon. A fire demon, to be exact. Twin brother to the ice apparition Yukina. It's probably why they can't catch him, and why their DNA scans come up blank. Because, in their minds, he shouldn't exist."

He cocked his head in surprise. Well that was new. A demon, and Yukina's brother to boot. That would prove useful at some point. "Continue please." He always phrased things politely. It was unquestionably one of the more intimidating things about him. He would smile and call you 'sir' as he slit your throat.

"The American intelligence agency, the CIA, have also noted a trend in his hits. I found a bit extra on him in their database, and it appears that he simply can_not_ refuse a challenge. That might be his only weakness. Now and then there have been random burglaries, but most of the big ones have been provoked."

"I see." Kurama took the new information in, methodically analyzing and storing it away in his brain. "You may leave now, Boton."

"Yes sir." She got up and walked to the door, but paused before passing through. "Oh, and sir, there have been several sightings of a large silver fox lately. That has yet to be officially confirmed. Good night."

She was warning him to be careful. Her knowledge of his other half was another reason he'd chosen her for his staff. She had known his identity and taken it in stride. She'd told him she'd "seen worse" after a century of working as a grim reaper for Sprit World.

He'd been a bit miffed at that, but she did not retract the statement. He smelled the nervousness on her that she didn't let show in her eyes. And so she'd been hired.

He told her many things, but this was a secret he would keep to himself, he thought as he carefully burned the file. There was no way to really explain his insane desire to catch the uncatchable, other than just saying it was in his nature. It was just how he was. And he _would_ catch the thief, make no mistake about it.

That wasn't saying it would be easy—far from it. In fact, Kurama was rather hoping it would be difficult. So little was these days.

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So, there's the prologue. Let me know if it's worth continuing...with a review! Ideas welcome!

Hope you enjoyed it!


	2. Challenged

Well, I'm back. This was incredibly quick...wow. Thank you SO much to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I hope you enjoy this one as well! Sorry, it's pretty thick. I hope everyone can get through it.

Hiei/Kurama is an interesting pairing. Yep, I can't wait to get to the complex parts of their relationship.

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Chapter One

He didn't have to set off the alarm. In fact, his job would have been a heck of a lot easier if he hadn't. But where was the fun in easy money?

Sirens sounded in the distance, and he sped up a little. There was a fine line between confidence and carelessness, and Hiei was anything but the latter. The owners of the house were dashing about in a panic, their every movement loud to his sensitive ears. It simplified things when people panicked; it meant he didn't have to listen as hard to know exactly where everyone was. Silence meant something was wrong.

It was a tribute to his skill that, so far, there had only been two cases like that in his career. One was not really applicable—the inhabitant was deaf—but the other he still considered his greatest mistake.

Hiei padded down the richly carpeted hallway, senses on alert. He knew exactly what he was looking for, and had a pretty good idea about where to find it. He paused before a heavy wooden door, locked and chained with shining steel rings. He snorted softly. What idiots. A door like that practically shouted hidden treasure.

Gaining entrance was a simple matter of melting away the chains. Quite a challenge for a fire demon. Creeping into the room, he glanced around for something to prop open the door with. That was basic: never_ ever_ cut off your escape route. The gold embroidered velvet armchair would do nicely.

That taken care of, he took in the room completely. At first glance it was simple enough, plain white walls covered with various works of art. An ordinary person would have questioned the reasoning behind locking it so ostentatiously. However, to Hiei's trained eyes their worth was obvious. These were multi-million dollar paintings; original Monet, Vermeer, and Picasso. Too bad he hadn't come prepared for those.

Instead he turned his gaze to the floor. Trapdoors had become popular lately; people seemed to think they were safer. So he rapped lightly on the paneled wood with his knuckles, pressing an ear to the floor. Nothing. A thin layer of wood covering only solid concrete.

So, the walls then. He ran expert fingers along the sides of the room, searching for any ridges or crevices. When the walls came up blank as well, Hiei began to get irritated. All that was left were the paintings then, and various pieces of furniture that clearly didn't belong in such a room.

He found what he was looking for almost immediately, wiping away any previous thoughts of annoyance. There was a false back on the Renoir. A simple cloth bag was all that came through as he slit the cardboard, but he could tell this was it. Peering in he caught a glimpse of sapphire. Jackpot.

He smiled slightly, but allowed himself nothing more than that. This was the most dangerous part of the job, when most amateurs made a mistake that ended their careers. The worst thing a thief could do was relax with the prize in their hands.

However, Hiei wasn't worried. He didn't bother to patch up the painting, or relock the door. There wasn't time. The police were there, which meant he would soon not be. He could hear the voice of the cop trying to reason with a woman of the household from the tree outside the house, where he'd stationed himself to watch the fun.

"Look ma'am, we're sorry for your losses but we're doing all we—"

He was cut off when the woman began to wail incomprehensibly. Apparently, the policeman had understood because he said,

"No, lady, we don't know who did it. We just got here." The guy was beginning to get pissed. "And sorry, we're not authorized to give out guesses. I'll have my men run a fingerprint check and get back to you when we have some solid information. Goodnight."

The woman snapped a sarcastic rejoinder and slammed the door in his face. Hiei snickered. The cop entered into his line of sight, running a hand through his greased black hair. He walked a few steps before stopping and turning toward the tree.

"Why do you have to trigger the alarms?" he whined, "All its doing is running me ragged."

Hiei blinked slowly, and leapt down from his perch, landing lightly in front of the young officer. "Yusuke."

The man called Yusuke shook his head as they started down the street together in companionable silence. No one who saw them would have guessed they were arch enemies—a cop and a robber.

"You're getting faster," Hiei commented, breaking the silence, "I was expecting to have at least five more minutes."

Yusuke snorted, "Yeah, but you didn't need them. Besides, this recent streak of crime has got your fans down at the station excited. They weren't as lethargic as usual when I rounded them up about ten minutes ago."

They were nearing Yusuke's house now, and Hiei prepared to take off. Yusuke couldn't let him go without one last comment, "Do a guy a favor and make the next few excursions silent ones, will you? I'll tell Keiko you said hello."

"I'd rather you didn't." And with that, police and thief parted. The thief didn't go far, however, opting to examine his acquisitions by moonlight on the roof of an abandoned warehouse. He twirled the gems idly and watched them sparkle as he thought about the one time he had bungled a burglary.

It had been sort of a joke, one of the jobs he did for pleasure rather than profit. It would have been ironic, really, if he had pulled it off. How could the law enforcers intend to prevent others from being burglarized if they couldn't even keep their own possessions secure?

Unfortunately for him he picked the wrong cop to mess with. It still irked him whenever he thought that, had he chosen any other target, he would still have had a spotless record. And probably wouldn't have met one of the only people he truly respected either.

His reasoning had been sound: Yusuke was a new recruit, fresh out of high school. A rookie cop, with reasonable potential and an incredible amount of confidence. The arrogance had probably been the deciding factor; Hiei enjoyed knocking the cocky down a peg or three.

The usual surveillance had not shown anything out of the ordinary. The first doubts hadn't started until Hiei was inside the house. The boy wasn't in his room, and there were no other lights on in the house. Neither could he hear movements anywhere else. Strike one.

He'd started getting _really_ uneasy after he'd finished checking the entire top floor and there wasn't any trace of the owner. Strike two.

Yusuke had tackled him at the foot of the stairs, and a fierce fight ensued. It must have lasted nearly a quarter of an hour. Hiei was taken aback by the boy's incredible strength, but soon found out why. The cop didn't have a pulse. Yusuke was a demon.

Much to Hiei's disappointment, Yusuke proved stronger. For that time, at least. Hiei expected to be tied up and carted off to the police station, but the dark haired demon surprised him once again by reaching out a hand and helping him up instead.

"You're just as good as they said you were." Yusuke's voice was admiring, "But you sure took your time in coming."

Hiei was rendered speechless. _Why am I just standing here listening to this man?_

Some of Hiei's thoughts must have shown in his expression because Yusuke quickly backed off and offered him a cup of coffee. The two of them made an astonishing picture, seated together in the small dining room. It was a while before Hiei managed to sneak in a question during one of the rare pauses in Yusuke's babble.

"What are you doing?" He asked flatly, deciding to get straight to the point.

Yusuke blinked. "Doing? Drinking coffee."

Hiei resisted the urge to roll his eyes. _Duh_. "No, I mean this." He gestured toward the two of them sitting together. "When are you going to turn me in?"

Yusuke laughed out loud. "I'm not. I'm looking forward to fighting you again. Besides, it's not like you couldn't get away if I tried. Anyways, I like you. Even if you don't talk much."

"Hn." Hiei ignored that last part, deciding to make a quick getaway through one of the windows behind his head. What a strange boy. And after almost two months of knowing him, Hiei's opinion hadn't changed in the slightest.

* * *

The bright glare of the sun was what finally woke Hiei from a light doze. He stretched, glancing around. He had fallen asleep on the warehouse roof with the gems tucked safely away under his cloak. His surroundings didn't surprise him; he slept somewhere different every night.

He did have an apartment, but that was used only as a last resort. A place to recover when injured, though that hadn't happened yet. Now, however, the time for resting was over. He needed to go deposit the jewels at the bank, and probably withdraw some cash too while he was at it.

His odd appearance drew curious looks, but no one bothered to comment. You saw too many crazy things in big cities to let just an odd fashion sense pique your interest.

He only ran into a little bit of trouble at the bank when the new teller had told him he couldn't borrow money without his mommy's permission. The poor woman had no idea how close she had come to being decapitated on the spot. Luckily for her one of the regular members of the staff had seen what was happening and come to her rescue.

"I'll handle this Ayame," He told her, adjusting his tie and turning to face Hiei. "Good morning Mr. Urameshi. How may I help you?"

The use of the unfamiliar name startled Hiei, before he remembered his cover and adjusted his expression. Clamping down hard on his anger Hiei handed over the cloth bag, signed their papers, and withdrew enough money to pull him through the rest of the month. After slipping the man a few bills he pocketed the rest of the cash and exited.

George—the male teller—watched the small man leave. _Quite a character, that one._ Always coming in around midday once a month and leaving extremely valuable gems or trinkets. It was very suspicious, if you wanted George's real opinion. But no one ever did. Still, the man seemed to rich to be unknown. Maybe he was just a middleman for a paranoid business star or something…but George would never ask. He slipped the money into his back pocket. Mr. Urameshi was a good tipper.

Hiei was happily unaware of all the thoughts centered around him at the moment. In fact, he was seated in a Starbucks ordering a cup of coffee as he flipped the newspapers for any word on last night's theft. He scanned the articles in disappointment. Nothing. The main column featured an interview with the heir of a very successful software company. That man was worth more money than Hiei had ever seen in one place before, over a billion dollars.

For lack of anything better to do, Hiei began to skim through the article. Minamino Kurama was the richest man in the world, as of December 2007, and was expected to remain so. He was also extremely high on the list of nominees for 'Sexiest Man Alive'. He enjoyed..blah blah blah. Who cared about this stuff anyway?

One phrase in particular caught his eye, probably because it had his name in it.

'_You mean __Jaganshi__ Hiei? No, I'm not worried. Why should I be? I'm sure his reputation must have been built on something, but I suspect it's been greatly exaggerated. Besides, I am very confident that my manor is completely secure…"_

At that point, Hiei stopped reading. He was too busy fuming. _Greatly exaggerated?_ He thought viciously, slamming the newspaper down onto the table and nearly knocking over the now cold cup of coffee. Well, he was in no mood to enjoy it now.

Leaving money for the drink under the saucer he stalked out of the café, muttering to himself under his breath. Usually Hiei waited at least a week between hits, but this was outrageous! His reputation was at stake, damn caution to hell and back again!

This meant war. In the figurative sense, of course.

Forcing himself to calm down and think rationally, he decided the best thing to do would be to learn all he could about his next victim. That word made him smile. It sounded…very nice. So off to the library it was then. And after that would come the best part.

He was getting excited about it already, and it wasn't even dusk.

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Phew! Congratulations, you made it to the end of the first chapter! I swear to you all that there will not be another one this boring ever again. The serious lack of dialogue bothers me too. But don't worry, next chapter we'll see the wonderful Kurama.

Please review, it motivates me to write more.

Thanks again, and I love you all. But especially the reviewers.


	3. Shocked

Well, everyone, I'm back! And with me, the long awaited (not really) third installment of Stockholm Syndrome. Enjoy!

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Hiei shifted slightly in the tree, pulling the dark cloak tighter around his slender frame. There was a cold wind blowing from the north tonight, he thought to himself, and that was rather irritating. It meant all windows would be tightly shut and locked.

No matter. He'd made a living by getting into places he wasn't supposed to. The spotlight flashed by the wall once again, and Hiei made his move. It was timed for exactly sixty-seven seconds between flashes. Sixty seven seconds to get the window open and closed. No sweat.

The lock was no trouble at all, but the window proved irritating. It had rusted shut. Obviously it was not opened often, if ever. Still, that problem was dealt with relatively easily. Hiei tumbled inside, jerking the window shut again behind him.

As he lifted up his head, his nose brushed against rough fabric. He blinked. Curtains? It was pink. But…the carpeting was magenta. _Either that rich man is color blind or__—shit._ Hiei somersaulted forward, vaulting up to his feet and staring into the shadows.

Darkness covered the upper half of a man's face. He lounged against the stone wall next to the window, and Hiei could see him smirking. Still rather stunned, Hiei's instincts took over and he assessed the man with a practical eye. Medium height, slim build, good muscle tone. Shockingly red hair, though that didn't seem particularly significant at the moment.

The man shifted his weight slightly, turning more to face Hiei. "Hiei. I was wondering when you would make an appearance. Though I must say, you certainly acted quickly."

_This must be him._ The master of the house. Famous Kurama. Hiei sneered, more to regain his own composure than out of contempt for the other.

Kurama noticed. The smirk faltered a little, and he stepped forward out of the shadows. The steel in those vibrant green eyes very nearly took Hiei's breath away. And he was off balance again; for the second time that night. _This had better not become a habit._

"You're confused, I expect." Kurama said quietly, his tone laced with amusement, "This is a new situation for you. What will you do?" He spoke the last part more softly, almost as if talking to himself.

Oddly enough, Hiei had been wondering exactly the same thing a second ago. Only, now he had an answer. Steel rang as he freed his katana from its sheath at his side. A moment later Kurama was clutching his shoulder in an attempt to stop it gushing blood. It wasn't working. Hiei grinned, confident. _This_ was what he did best.

He moved to strike again, a blow that would end the fight. It never connected. Hiei stumbled slightly as he hit the ground, startled. He swerved to see Kurama standing tall, shoulder forgotten. In his hands he held a long pale green vine studded with thorns. Somehow, Hiei got the feeling it wasn't just there for decoration.

Kurama took advantage of Hiei's surprise and lashed out with his weapon. Hiei snapped back to reality in time to block, and counter with a strike of his own.

Really, the fight should have lasted longer. Hiei blamed his loss on the element of surprise. Who would have expected a pampered rich brat to hold such power? But that didn't matter. Hiei was still kneeling with his own katana pressed up against the back of his neck, listening to the harsh breathing of his companion.

"Your reputation exceeds your skill," the redhead breathed, leaning closer, "I expected more of a challenge."

Hiei snarled in response, twisting, and the blade pressed closer. Warm blood trickled down his throat and seeped into the dark fabric of his cloak. "Release me, and I'll give you one," he hissed, furious.

"I don't think so."

Out of the corner of his eye, Hiei caught a glimpse of movement. He turned his head slightly, eyeing the newcomer. He was a large muscular man dressed all in blue, and with the most ridiculous looking orange hair.

The new man stared back calmly, almost defiantly for a moment before turning his attention to Kurama. "The changes you requested to the guest room are finished," he said. "It's ready for whenever you need it."

Then he went back to staring at Hiei.

"Thank you." Kurama's voice softened slightly, and Hiei couldn't help but notice how much it resembled music. Violins, maybe. But that thought was too sentimental, and so Hiei quickly banished it from his mind.

"No problem." The orange haired man said in his gravelly voice. Casting one last curious glance at Hiei, he turned and slipped through a door halfway down the hall.

Hiei had no idea what had just transpired, but it didn't sound all that dangerous. No talk of, "Kill him quickly; get it over with". That was a mistake on their parts. Unfinished business had a nasty way of poking up its head and biting back at the most inconvenient times.

"I suppose you're wondering now what we plan to do with you," Kurama sighed, loosening his hold on Hiei's shoulder somewhat.

"Not really." Hiei replied scathingly. On the contrary. He was practically eaten up with curiosity. And apprehension, as well. But there was something freeing about the knowledge that death could come at any second. Expecting the worst made any alternative seem attractive.

"Don't lie to me." Kurama sounded very certain. "It's pointless. I'll tell you what will happen. You'll be staying here for a while, with us."

"Prisoner. You're keeping me prisoner." Hiei said flatly. "What a totally useless idea."

"I'll admit, I don't believe ransom will profit me any in this situation. But there are always other ways to make yourself needed."

The phrase was thick with implications. Though it probably wasn't intended to be. Hiei wasn't sure whether to be amused or indignant. In the end, he settled for amused. It was easier to keep control of the milder emotions; there was less chance of them blowing up in his face.

So Hiei allowed himself to be pushed at sword point down the hall, and up several flights of stairs. He noticed that Kurama seemed to have a preference for greenery. The place was bursting with plants, like an oversized and underheated greenhouse. He wondered briefly who purchased them all, watered them, and how the heck anyone could stand seeing flowers everywhere they turned.

They stopped before a heavy wooden door that seemed to be built for keeping people out...or in. Hiei could feel the wards on the door, and in the room. Powerful ones. He made his break when Kurama leaned forward to unlock the door. Sliding out from under the redhead's arm, he dashed away, not caring what in which direction.

He actually seemed to be making some progress. It was a rather anti-climatic escape, he had to admit. Kurama hadn't even made a move to stop him. And then the plants came alive. The tiny, innocent looking white lilies hanging in a pot overhead suddenly stretched themselves out and wound tightly around Hiei.

Kurama slowly approached, expression unreadable. Hiei glared. His vision was beginning to flicker, and fade into darkness. Before he totally lost consciousness, he heard Kurama's voice.

"Interesting that you should be caught by this plant. The Death Lily. How fitting." And he might have said something else, but Hiei didn't hear it. He had blacked out.

* * *

When Hiei came to, he found himself sprawled atop a large, soft bed. He removed himself as quickly as possible, trying to recall where he was, and how he had gotten there. He was drawing a blank, and it was frustrating him. 

He wandered around the room, grimacing every so often at the vegetation that crowded every empty corner. It was irritating, but some instinct in the back of his mind warned against simply uprooting them and smashing the pots against the walls.

There was a quick knock on the door, and Hiei whirled around into a crouch. The door began to open. Hiei tensed. A woman's voice floated through the crack.

"I hope you're decent, because I'm going to come in now!" A kimono clad, blue-haired woman bounced into the room, balancing a tray of what looked like food.

She introduced herself as Boton, Kurama's personal secretary. Kurama. The name sounded familiar. Hiei frowned and concentrated for a moment. It was all coming back to him in flashes of red hair and poisonous plants. Oh. He was being held captive.

"…food three times a day, and…" Boton was still blabbing on about something. Hiei rolled his eyes.

"Save it. I don't care."

She closed her mouth, eyes filled with surprise. Hiei resisted the urge to grab the tray from her hands and hit her over the head with it. He couldn't believe such an incompetent was secretary to one of the most famous men in the modern world.

"Well," she huffed, recovering, "You don't have to be so rude about it! I just thought you'd like to know more about your situation."

Hiei's eyes flashed up to meet hers. "Then tell me more about your master."

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(-sigh-) Rather shorter than my other one, but I figure quick updates beat out lengthy ones any day. I thought it was pretty interesting...but feel free to tell me I'm wrong, or anything else that's on your mind.

A huge thank you to KyoHana, ladyasile, Gemenice, Darkness is My Savior, chrono-contract, and DarkKitsune18 for reviewing my other chapters. I hope you all liked this one too, and keep on reading!

As always, read and review and you will gain my eternal gratitude.


	4. Escape?

Boton eyed Hiei and his sudden interest with suspicion. She wasn't quite sure what had provoked it, and therefore, wasn't sure whether or not to humor him. But Kurama had told her to give their "guest" whatever he asked—barring the key to the door—so he might allow it. Still, it was far more difficult to take back words better left unsaid.

"No."

He blinked slowly. She wasn't sure whether in surprise, or contemplation. But then again, trying to read his emotions was like trying to read invisible ink. Impossible without the right tools; so she might as well have been trying to read a blank page.

He interrupted her train of thought to ask, "Who are you?"

Her eyes widened in surprise. Was he just being difficult now? "I already told you," she said patiently, "I'm Kurama's secretary."

"And you live with him."

It wasn't a question. But then again, she'd told him she wasn't going to answer his questions. "Yes."

"Does anyone else?"

Boton sighed, resigned. "I suppose that information's harmless enough. Of course there are others. The cook, for one. And the maids. His bodyguard."

Hiei grimaced. Like the man needed bodyguards.

Boton continued, warming to the subject. "Actually, it's like a private city. Anything that needs to be done can be done by someone who lives here. It's terribly convenient…is something wrong?"

She stared as Hiei suddenly lunged toward her and snatched the tray out of her hands, scattering soup and carrots everywhere. She barely had time to blink in surprise before the shining sheet of silver came smashing into the side of her head, and she collapsed to the floor.

Hiei stood still for a moment, forcing down the panic that had her innocent words had triggered. He still wasn't sure why they made him so uneasy. A fuzzy idea began to form in the back of his mind, but vanished the moment he tried to grab hold of it.

He decided to let it alone for the moment, and concentrate on escape. He searched the unconscious girl for a key, and came up with several. He tried them all, pocketing even the ones that didn't work. Who knew when they might come in handy?

The moment his hand touched the doorknob, vines from the potted plant nearby came flying and encircled his wrists. Disgustedly, he ripped them off and practically flew out the door. He should have remembered who he was dealing with.

The attacks from random plants continued as he ran down the hallway. He knew there was no way he could keep them off for much longer. Soon enough he'd get assaulted by something deadly. But neither was going back an option. Inspiration hit when he glanced up in order to dodge a falling clay pot. Three minutes later the hallway was once again empty.

A very confused orange haired teenager stared as the hallway on a video screen began to blur, and then was replaced by crackling black and white lines. He flipped open his phone and called his boss.

Meanwhile, Hiei was busy crawling on his hands and knees through the mansion's ventilation system. It was incredibly dusty up there. And dark, except for the small slits of light that shone out through the open vents. The back of his neck was beginning to cramp up from the awkward position in which he was holding it.

"…nothing else I can do." Hiei paused to listen to the voices floating up from the room beneath him. "Your mother has a fatal disease; she has less than a year to live."

Whose mother?

"Thank you for coming doctor." That was Kurama's voice. Hiei leaned forward, straining to catch every word.

_Kurama has a mother?_ Hiei wondered, then immediately felt stupid. Everyone had a mother. That Kurama was taking care of her personally was what was unusual. Weren't there people one could pay to do things like that? It wasn't as if money was an issue.

The other man spoke again, "Son, my advice to you would be to spend as much time with her now as you can. I know someone like yourself doesn't have much down time, but someone like her doesn't have much life time left. She'd be glad to see you more often."

"I'll take that into consideration."

Hiei caught the muffled sounds of a coat being pulled on, and hard shoes clacking away over wood floors. He heard Kurama sigh.

"Come down from there, please. It was not built to support people."

Hiei froze in astonishment. Kurama was bluffing. He had to be. At least, that's what Hiei thought until the grate was ripped off right before his nose, and a pale arm reached up and grabbed him. Hiei obediently descended, then rounded on the man.

"How could you tell I was up there?"

Kurama smiled, his eyes glinting, "I could smell you."

Hiei choked. What? Kurama pretended not to notice. He went over to a large wooden desk opposite the door and began to sort papers. "I heard you were causing some trouble this morning."

Hiei said nothing. He had figured Kurama would be first to know when the camera's went out. Or had Boton revived yet?

"Was there something wrong with your room? Do you need a new one?"

Hiei laughed. Kurama stared, his face carefully maintaining an indifferent expression, but his eyes showed irritation. Good. So there was a way to get under his skin after all.

"What do you want with me?" Hiei decided to get straight to the crux of the matter, "Why am I still here?"

Kurama only looked at him for a long moment. "You're not ready to hear that yet."

Hiei could only stare in frustration as Kurama gathered up his papers and exited, stony faced. It seemed he would have to seek his answers elsewhere.

Kurama walked quickly down the hall, annoyed with himself. That little conversation hadn't gone at all as planned. But it was beginning to seem impossible to control anything involving that thief anymore. Then again, Kurama specialized in impossible.

Now, however, he had other things to deal with. Four flights of stairs and two doorways more and he found himself facing a stainless steel door. It looked incredibly out of place in the wood paneled, carpeted hallway. That inconsistency bothered Kurama. But it was necessary.

He typed in the seven letter password and stepped back as the door slid silently open. He made sure it shut just as quickly once he was inside.

"…Suichi?" a weak voice asked from the bed. She had always insisted on calling him by his childhood nickname. It didn't bother him when she did it, though were anyone else to try it they would find themselves with a black eye.

"Yes mother."

"What did the doctor tell you?" She struggled to sit up, and he rushed over to help her.

"There's nothing to worry about. You'll recover soon," he promised.

She smiled wryly. "He didn't say that."

Kurama looked at her. Her skin was so pale, and he could clearly see each one of her ribs through the pajama top she was wearing. She was so fragile. But her eyes hadn't yet lost their light. "No, you're right. He didn't phrase it quite like that."

She laughed softly, until it turned to hacking coughs. He rushed to get her a glass of water, which she sipped gratefully. "Thank you dear. Now come, tell me about your company. Is it doing well?"

He entertained her for a while in that manner, describing deals, stuffy meetings, and interesting co-workers. She especially liked to hear about the people he worked with. The ones he lived with interested her too.

"How is that pretty brown-haired girl, the one who brings me soup and crackers?" She inquired, smiling sweetly. "I haven't seen her lately."

"Shizuru had a cold. I was worried she might infect you; and your immune system isn't up to taking that kind of strain just yet. I'll send her in as soon as she's completely healed." Kurama promised.

"Good, that's good. And is her brother still here as well? He is such a gentleman," Shiori said, giggling like a tenth grader.

Kurama couldn't help but smile back. "Yes, he's been busy lately too."

"Helping you?"

"Yes. Have you taken your medicine yet?" Kurama asked, turning this way and that, searching for the bottle.

"I never forget," Shiori joked, waving the small container in front of his face. "You'd think my life depended on it or something."

"Yes," Kurama agreed, "You do have a good memory. Especially when it comes to moments I'd much rather forget."

"Ah, but that's the fun of being a mom. You can still blackmail your children, even when they're grown up." Shiori smiled proudly, but her eyes were sad as she tucked a lock of red hair behind Kurama's ear.

Kurama felt the sudden need to reassure her, "You're going to be all right."

She withdrew her hand. "Of course I will be. Now run along, you've spent more than enough time here with me."

Kurama knew a dismissal when he heard one. He gathered up his things and stood to leave. She lay her head back on the pillow, staring restlessly at the walls. It was good to see the spark in her eyes. It meant she hadn't yet given up yet. But neither had he.


	5. Fighter

A/N: Yes, I am aware that my chapters are getting shorter. I desperately need a beta. However, I plan to be updating more frequently to make up for that. This is my second within...a week? Or something. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy it!

Reviewers have, as always, my gratitude. You are the reason this story gets written.

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Hiei, back in his newly locked room, sat in the windowsill staring out at the rain that was pouring down in buckets. The sky was a rather gloomy looking grey color, devoid of any light, save the brief flashes that accompanied the lightning.

He had somewhat of an idea now about what he was going to do. To escape, that is. Force had proved futile, but there was another way. Words weren't his strong suit, but he would have to try to trust him enough. Prove to them that he didn't want trouble, wasn't going to annoy, and then get out as quick as possible.

He was currently engaging in step one: staying away from trouble. He hadn't made a move toward the door in three days. He thanked the man who brought him dinner—unsurprisingly, Boton hadn't been back since the day he got out, though whether for her safety or to keep him in control he couldn't tell. It didn't matter either way. At least he could begin his "reform" with a clean slate.

It was rather boring, being good. Not something he did on a regular basis. At least, he consoled himself, it was only for a little while. Not a permanent change. He heard voices outside his door, and glanced over in time to see it creak open to admit two people.

One he recognized as the orange haired, rather slow man who brought food. Only, this time he was empty handed. The other was a tall, heavily muscled, blue haired man carrying a bottle. Hiei wrinkled his nose. He could smell the tequila.

"Well then, I see Kurama's kept his promise." The blue haired man observed in a heavy Australian accent. "Cheers to 'im" He tilted his head back and took a swig of the alcohol.

The other human shrugged, "Yeah, I guess so. But Kurama always keeps his promises. He's noble like that."

"Awright, Kuwabara mate. You gonna help me get this fella downstairs or what?" The Australian grinned, eying Hiei eagerly.

Hiei was confused. He didn't let it show.

"Kurama says he won't give any trouble once we explain it to him," Kuwabara, as Hiei now knew, said. He turned to Hiei, "Kurama thinks we should give you a chance to get some exercise." His expression showed just how much he agreed with _that_ idea.

The big man spoke again, "We should have some fun with it. But first you've got to cooperate with us."

Kuwabara nodded, "Training room's downstairs."

And it all clicked into place. Hiei stood up, obligingly, and waited. Kuwabara looked rather surprised. The Australian looked merely amused, and led the way out the door. Hiei felt confident he could overpower the two of them and make a run for it…but then he remembered the last episode with the plants. Besides, he was curious. Excluding the mistake with Kurama, it had been a while since he'd had a good fight.

So he let them lead him out the room and down the stairs. He let them pull him into the training room and toss a set of new, loose clothes at him. He even humored the men by wearing them. And then they showed him the arena.

The room he had first been taken to was nothing special. It was an ordinary weight room, complete with all the machines you would see in an average gym. The only thing that didn't belong was the vast metal door that covered the far wall. When it began to slide noisily open, he realized he had underestimated the power of money yet again.

Inside stood four or five people, each one entirely unique. The first one he saw was a young brown haired boy, who leapt up eagerly to greet Hiei's companions.

"Hey Chu! You got him!" the little boy enthused, grinning from ear to ear as he fiddled around with a child's toy—a yo-yo, Hiei decided. Chu must have been the Australian, because he was the one to answer.

"Right you are mate. Didn't I tell you he wouldn't be no trouble?"

"_Any_ trouble," a woman corrected, flipping a strand of brown hair over her shoulder. She took a puff on the cigarette held loosely between her fingers and blew out smoke, "The least you can do to make up for that accent is to use proper English."

The dark haired man next to her smiled fondly at the woman before shifting his cold eyes back to Hiei. Their gazes locked, and Hiei found himself caught in a staring contest. He won, as expected, and his eyes drifted to the straight scar on the man's cheek. It looked old.

Then there was, of course, Kurama. Hiei himself wasn't sure why he had avoided looking at that one—Kurama was the first person he noticed upon entering the room. He looked up, forcing himself to meet the green eyes squarely. Kurama smiled slightly, but it was genuine. Hiei's stomach dropped. He blamed it on lack of food. Feelings were for fools.

"Enough picking on my grammar sweetheart. Let's get this party started," Chu directed the last part at Hiei. Hiei smirked, more than willing to comply. If the fool thought he had an easy victory coming up, he was dead wrong.

Hiei walked deliberately up to the circular ring drawn in the center of the room, and caught the wooden sword that was tossed to him. He hefted it; the balance was off, but it would do. He felt a brief pang of longing for his katana, probably locked up somewhere in one of Kurama's closets.

He shook it off and faced his opponent. Chu had entered the ring as well, unarmed and still carrying his bottle of liquor. Odd. He seriously intended to fight with only his fists and his drink. Perhaps the alcohol would ease the pain he would feel once Hiei was through with him. Hiei wasn't one to grudge him his release.

They stood motionless, facing each other. Kurama eyed the two fighters intently. He knew what the outcome of the fight would be, naturally, but he was curious to see exactly how it would play out.

Hiei's curiosity was almost palpable as everyone silently watched Chu take the last swig of his drink and toss the bottle aside, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and belching loudly.

"There, then." He said, shifting into a fighting stance, "Now I'm ready for you."

Hiei needed no further invitation. He sprang immediately, and the fight began. Kurama watched, carefully considering each move and its result. He already knew all there was to know about Chu's technique. It was Hiei's he was interested in now.

Kurama drew his first conclusion after watching Chu pull out his Drunken Fist attack. Hiei, for all his supernatural speed, wasn't able to dodge fully and came away bleeding from the torso. After that, the fight finished in five minutes with Hiei's hands locked around Chu's neck until the man was blue in the face. Apparently he didn't react well to new developments, but adapted fairly quickly after the initial surprise.

"That's enough, Hiei," Kurama called after a minute. Hiei's hands loosened and he sat back on his heels, watching Chu massage his throat and gasp for air.

"Well, damn" he wheezed, "if that wasn't a good one. Li'l bit short for my taste though."

Hiei didn't respond. He dropped the wooden weapon and stood, staring off at nothing in particular. Kurama's curiosity was aroused. He dismissed the others quickly, beckoning for Hiei to follow him.

Shizuru paused as she passed, touching Kurama's arm lightly. "Watch what you say around him," she said, "One careless comment might just put him out of reach forever."

Kurama opened his mouth to demand clarification, and then closed it. She was gone. Besides, she probably wasn't quite sure what she meant herself. He had more pressing matters to attend to. Such as the small fire demon standing before him.

"If that was your idea of exercise, I'm disappointed." Hiei remarked.

Kurama chose to ignore that, eyeing the still bleeding wound on Hiei's torso. "I can take care of that, if you'd like. Come with me."

He turned and left, not bothering to check and see if Hiei was following. He didn't need to. They walked together up to Kurama's bedroom, and Hiei took a chair. Kurama closed the door quietly, noticing with amusement how his companion went rigid.

"Calm down. I won't bite you," he smirked, rummaging around in a drawer for some antiseptic and a bandage.

Hiei grunted in response, but his eyes continued to follow Kurama's every move. The redhead found what he was looking for, and approached Hiei's chair.

"You'll need to remove your shirt." He said, clearly amused. Hiei growled and jerked the shirt up over his head, displaying the pale skin of his chest and stomach. Kurama's pulse quickened, but he forced himself to calm down. It wouldn't do to spring a move here, at this time.

To distract himself he focused on the other man's wound. It was a shallow gash, but burned very badly in the area. With steady hands he applied salve to the injuries and tore off strips of bandage to wind around. Hiei remained still as a statue throughout the entire ministration, not meeting Kurama's eyes.

"There." Kurama announced, taping the end of the fabric securely into place, "You're done. It should be healing even as we speak."

Hiei made a noncommittal noise, and Kurama hid a smile, realizing that was all the thanks he was liable to get.

Instead Hiei rose fluidly, seemingly ignoring his wound, and gazed around the room. "This is your room?"

"It is," Kurama confirmed, staring hard at Hiei.

Hiei noticed, and glared back. He still couldn't shake off the feeling that there had been more motives involved in that fight than concern for his muscle tone.

"Who was the girl?" He asked simply to break the uncomfortable silence, not because he was really interested. Interestingly enough, silence was a tactic he used often—but wasn't one he was accustomed to having turned against him. He had been softened by all the time spent around talkative Yusuke, and forgotten what it was to deal with someone who had a sharper edge.

"Shizuru? She's the cook. She also has an uncanny knack for predicting events and seeing through lies." He smiled again, but it didn't touch his eyes this time, "She's not one to cross."

Hiei snorted, unconvinced. He decided to stop beating about the bush and ask the man straight out, "What was that all about? And don't feed me some nonsense about entertainment."

Kurama's eyes sparked mischievously, "But it was entertaining. Especially the expression on your face when Chu finally landed a hit."

Hiei's expression darkened. His jaw tightened, and he strode toward the door, fully intending to make his exit. Kurama reached it a moment before he did, and pressed his back against it. Hiei skidded to a stop, just barely managing to keep his forehead from smacking into Kuramas. Their faces were very close. Hiei could hear his heart beat once. Twice. He meant to pull away, but found himself mesmerized by those clear green eyes, so deep he could feel himself falling, falling…

He stumbled back a step, scowling at Kurama. There was an unfamiliar, almost wild expression in the redhead's eyes. He closed them briefly, and when they opened again he was back in control.

"Maybe it's best you leave now," he said quietly. "Do you need a guide back to your room?"

"No." Although, Hiei was sure he had no idea where to go. Anywhere was better than in that room, with _him_. Kurama stepped away from the door to let him pass, and Hiei walked slowly, head held high, until he heard the door close behind him. Then he broke into a run.

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Sooo...any good? I really can't seem to stay away from the fighting, can I? Please leave questions, comments, concerns, anything in the form of a review.

Love, Heartbeat101


	6. Ready or Not

A/N: So...yeah, I'm back. How've you all been? Sorry about the kind of slow update, but I was re-reading Michelle Sagara's "Cast" series, and fell in love all over again. Go check them out, they're great books!

I'm not so pleased with this chapter. Frankly, I'm just glad its over with. Now I get to start writing the fun stuff! (-grins wickedly-) You'll see what I'm talking about by the end of the chapter. I hope.

Oh, and there's no time break between the beginning of this chapter and the end of the other one, so you might want to go back and re-read the last couple paragraphs from chapter five. If you feel like it.

(Yeah, this is being reworked because fanfiction messed up my...paragraphs and lines. I dunno, there's a word for it, but I just chucked my dictionary/thesaurus against the wall, so I can't look it up.)

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Kurama closed his eyes and slowly slid down the wall until he was crouching, head in hands, beside the door. His heart was pounding wildly, and he didn't understand what was happening.

At least, that's what he told his mind. His subconscious had other ideas. So why was it becoming harder to remind himself that Hiei was only a tool in the grand scheme of things?

He waited until the sound of hurried footsteps faded into nothingness. Hiei was gone. It was safe to leave the room. He sighed, and it took an effort for him to rise to his feet. Why did he let himself get so damned tired? What use was he to Shiori when he didn't get enough sleep to even think clearly?

Kurama froze. Someone was breathing on the other side of the door. He didn't recognize the smell. In a heartbeat he had the door open and a sharp knife pressed against the throat of a young blue-haired man, who had been previously leaning against the wall.

The man stiffened, carefully turning his head to look Kurama in the eye. Kurama relaxed, sliding the dagger back into its sheath.

"Touya."

"You seem agitated," the young man pointed out. Kurama realized he was tapping his foot impatiently. He forced himself to stop.

"What sort of news do you have for me today?"

Touya let out a long breath, passing a hand over his eyes. Finally he said, quietly, "They're beginning to suspect. I was sent out of the room twice on unnecessary errands."

Kurama's gaze sharpened, "You're sure it wasn't coincidence?"

"I don't believe in coincidence," Touya said wryly, "And neither do you. If you need another reason, I have one: they had me followed tonight."

"You lost him somewhere else I'm sure, before coming here?" It was phrased as a question, but Touya saw right through to what it really was: a threat.

"Of course," he said mildly. Then he leaned in close to whisper in Kurama's ear before he turned and walked away with the air of a man who knew where he was going.

Kurama's lips curved up into a smile. So it was almost ready, then. He would have to adjust his plan accordingly, but that meant nothing in the long run. He was just beginning to be able to see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. And perhaps they would all make it through. But he rather doubted it. Every action had a price attached. Kurama just had to be sure he controlled who was paying.

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Hiei had been running for about five minutes, and had made it through about ten hallways and down four staircases before he realized he had absolutely no clue where he was going. He slowed his pace to a walk, and looked around him.

There was no carpet here, and no gaudy artwork on the walls. The linoleum that covered the floor smelled strongly of detergent. Someone had scrubbed it recently. Lifting his nose to smell around for other clues, he caught a whiff of roasting meat.

So that was it. He followed the scent into a large, chaotic room full of women scrambling about, hauling trays full of drinks and dainty appetizers. One familiar woman stood at the head of it all, stirring a large pot and shouting out orders. He changed course and headed straight for her.

"…just get the damn placecards set Rinku," she snapped without turning around to look at him, "Kurama won't care who you seat together."

Hiei raised an eyebrow. She rounded on him, clutching the spoon and waving it menacingly, "Kid, I swear to…oh." She resumed stirring, "It's you."

Still he said nothing.

She made a frustrated sound and ran a hand through her sweaty brown hair, "Look, I don't know if anyone's told you, but Kurama's hosting a big party tonight. It was short notice, so as you can see, we're very unorganized right now. Any help you could offer might be useful."

Hiei kept his face carefully expressionless as he considered her request. It would be demeaning to lower himself to do kitchen work, but any information he might gain in the process would be worth it. Everyone knew underpaid workers were the best informants.

So he took the bowl she handed him and began to stir rather disinterestedly. She huffed in exasperation and grabbed it back, "Have you ever cooked a thing in your life? Stir like this!"

She showed him, ignoring the dangerous scowl spreading over his features. Oh yeah. She'd better be darn talkative.

"What party?"

Shizuru sent him a disbelieving glance, and opened her mouth to say something rude. Then caught sight of his expression and thought better of it. "I guess you wouldn't know. Kurama's throwing a surprise party for one of his old friends." She snorted, "In fact, it was such a well kept secret it surprised the rest of us too."

Hiei took this new piece of information and ran with it. "When did he decide to do this?"

She sighed, "Knowing him, he's been planning it for days. If you mean 'when did he tell us?' then the answer is half an hour ago."

"Who has been invited?"

She named several famous businessmen, the chief of police, and many more people Hiei hadn't ever heard of before. It didn't matter. There were enough, anyway, to keep the guards stationed around the mansion occupied. He would be out of this prison by midnight.

Shizuru glanced sideways at the dark haired man stirring her tomato sauce. As usual, his face was an empty mask, but his eyes were thoughtful. She could guess what was going on in his head.

"Someone had better take you up to see Kurama," she threatened, "To find out what he wants to do with you."

He didn't even spare her a look to show he was listening. Annoyed, she tossed her hair over her shoulder and wished for a cigarette. Instead, she opened the oven to check on the bread. When she looked up again, he was gone, leaving the bowl of simmering sauce behind.

She shook her head. Apparently he thought he had milked enough information out of her for one day. It would be interesting to see how things played out with him. As if Kurama's actions hadn't been enough of a giveaway.

Her expression turned contemplative. She had suspected Kurama of planning something for weeks now. It had to be something big if he was working so hard to keep it a secret. He didn't usually keep things from her, but now she was more out of the loop than even her brother.

Kurama had a thief in the house, living like a guest. An important guest, at that. But said thief didn't want to be in the house at all. It was a mystery. And she didn't have enough of the pieces yet to try and put them together.

"Shizuru!" someone shrieked, "Where's the flippin' pasta sauce?"

The puzzle would have to wait. At least, if she valued her life. Parties like these would be the death of...well, if not her, than certainly someone else. She sighed and got back to work.

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Hiei was, once again, lost. Only this time it didn't matter. If he didn't know where he was he had a logical excuse for not being in his room, and a good space of time to explore the mansion.

He was pretty sure the kitchens would be on the ground floor, which would put him on the first floor. He wandered, seemingly aimlessly to anyone who might have been watching on camera, but with a real purpose in mind. He was going to find his way out. It wouldn't do to get lost during the party and miss his chance.

Kurama would be angry, he thought, smirking slightly. Something in his chest, behind his ribcage, twisted. He ignored it. Whatever game the man was playing would end tonight.

He began counting doors and windows, noting which had locks and which did not. He was so busy with his counting that, as he turned a corner, he ran smack into another man. A frigid wind seemed to sweep the hall, and Hiei felt the need to burn something, to prove that he was the dominant one. But it was better for this man to assume he was powerless.

Hiei examined him, taking in the ice pale hair and eyes, and knew exactly what he was. Images of a certain woman drifted into his mind, but he shoved them back where they had come from. He wasn't meant to ever think of her again.

"Who are you?" The other man demanded crossly, narrowing his eyes. Hiei just looked at him and moved to keep walking.

"Hey!" The blue haired man reached out and grabbed Hiei's arm, but Hiei was prepared. He snatched his arm away and sent out a flare of heat, his eyes smoldering furiously. So much for feigning ignorance. But his pride would not allow him to let himself be handled in such a manner.

"Touch me again, and I'll kill you." He said flatly, whirling around and stalking away. He could hear the hurried footsteps of the other man as sped out in the opposite direction.

Once the better part of his anger had vanished, Hiei had lost track of where he was. He forced himself to breathe deeply, trying to ease the agitation he had felt as he remembered his sister. Growling, he lost control and slammed a fist into the wall, creating a sizeable hole. Kurama would not be pleased.

But damn it, he didn't care. After what happened to her, he'd promised himself he would never care again. It was a one way track to death and suffering, and Hiei only enjoyed those when he was inflicting them.

That was why he needed so desperately to get out of this place. He was losing his resolve, and quickly. It had been less than a week and he could already feel the place and its people preying on his mind; the owner himself was beginning to shatter Hiei's defenses.

Removing his hand from the wall, he placed it at his side and closed his eyes, sliding his face back into an impassive mask. Once he was certain he could maintain it, he opened his eyes. They were blank and hard; the eyes of someone who cared for nothing and no one.

Slowly, he began to walk back the way he had come. It was time to get out before he truly lost it. So focused on recalling the way back to the kitchens, he didn't notice the shadow that detached itself from the wall to follow him. The shadow figure quirked his lips up into a smile, flashing a set of brilliant white fangs. He kept out of the light, pressing himself against the wall until all that could be seen was the shine of teeth and the pair of light blue eyes that gleamed in the semi-darkness.

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And so ends chapter 6. I know it was kind of disjointed--it was total hell to write--but it was necessary. The plot speeds up a lot after this point, and a few other characters will come back into play. Try and guess who...I gave a bit of a hint in this chapter.

Please review and tell me what you thought!


	7. Collide

A/N: Yup, alive and kicking. And writing again too, aparently. I apologize in advance for this chapter. You'll see what I mean--lots of characters fighting for monologue time.

Please review with your opinions. I promised myself I'd never turn into one of those people who begs shamelessly for attention, but then again I also promised to update this story once a week. We all see how that turned out. Review responses dropped for the last chapter, and I'm wondering why. Enlighten me, please. Anyone.

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Chapter 7

She liked parties. They amused her, when so little else did. Well, nowadays anyway. It used to be that a simple bird or tiny mouse could interest her for hours. But she had gotten a taste of real freedom, of life—and now hungered for more. The attention had become an addiction. Cages were not to her liking at all, even the ones without bars or locks. So she was glad Kurama was having a party.

"Miss Yukina?"

They were all very respectful and polite, but not at all accommodating. Her business was no longer her own; it had become theirs. She sometimes couldn't even remember why she had acquiesced in the first place…but then images of the small dark-haired man would flood her face. The brother she could not find. But they could. And they would, they said, if she continued to pay them.

"Here they are." She sighed, stretching out a pale hand and dropping several slightly paler colored gems into his hand.

The dark haired man stowed them away in a pocket, the face directed towards her impassive as always. She could never tell where he was looking from behind the sunglasses he wore. It disturbed her. But in the end, she reminded herself, it would all be worth it. He had been hinting for some time now that Kurama was the key to her brother's whereabouts. And tonight he would have a party, and she would be one step closer to her goal.

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Someone was following him. Hiei pushed through the noisy, chattering crowd in the hallway, desperate for a moment's quiet. He had never seen so many people try to crowd into one place at the same time! Casting a furtive glance over his shoulder, he glimpsed a flash of red hair and white tunic melting into the crowd once again. That was the third time, and Hiei had purposefully been choosing a random path through the mansion in order to make sure. Yes, he had a tail.

He was still staring over his shoulder in irritation when he smacked into Kurama. There was a semi-awkward pause as the two of them stared at each other. Kurama's expression was unreadable as always, but Hiei could feel the heat rising in his cheeks as he remembered the scenario in Kurama's room, and what exactly he had wanted to do to the other man.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" Kurama inquired, more out of politeness it seemed rather than interest. So Hiei gave the response that question deserved.

"No."

Kurama winced slightly, a hand going to his forehead as if he had a migraine. "Sorry."

Hiei shrugged. He had other fish to fry. As in, find out why the hell he was being followed. So he asked.

Then it was Kurama's turn to shrug, and begin walking in the opposite direction. He tossed a reply over his shoulder. "You can never be too careful."

Hiei glowered at his retreating back. Then he put the exchange out of his mind and turned back toward the gathering of people. Most were human, although there was the occasional demon mixed into the crowd. At one point a whole group of them entered—quite loudly. They would be trouble once they'd had enough to drink, but otherwise virtually harmless. His escape plan didn't seem to need alterations.

Just as he was beginning to turn and walk away, an incredulous voice called out his name. Hiei whirled, quick as a flash, and stopped dead as he found himself staring into a pair of very familiar brown eyes.

"Yusuke?"

* * *

Kurama was bored. He detested parties, especially rowdy ones. A loud crash and several raised and panicked voices from another room only solidified the feeling. He spared a thought to hope they hadn't broken the Greek vase, and then returned to contemplating Hiei. There was a rather intriguing puzzle. He wanted many things from the man—and only one of those things did not require physical contact. But that was beside the point.

It was interesting to view his reaction to the party situation. And, even through the noise and crowds, he had managed to discover his tracker. Apparently, too many human targets had made Jin overconfident. He would need a lesson, and soon.

Growing increasingly restless, Kurama rose from the chair he had previously been occupying and strode purposefully toward the hallway where he had left Hiei. Things needed to be sorted out, and quickly. He stopped short upon glimpsing the tableau in the hall.

Hiei stood still as a statue, staring in shock at a dark haired man before him, who seemed to be equally startled. "Yusuke?"

The dark haired man "Yusuke" grinned suddenly, reaching out a hand and smacking Hiei on the shoulder. The affectionate gesture surprised Kurama. How did they know each other? He could tell from Yusuke's uniform that he was an officer. When had they met? More importantly, were they lovers?

A strong, unfamiliar emotion raced through his veins. Jealousy. He wondered briefly if his face had turned green. However, they were speaking again. He paused his train of thought to listen.

"…broke up about a week and a half ago," Yusuke was saying, "She gave me her ultimatum: either buckle down and marry her, or let her get the hell away from me." He shrugged, "So I let her go."

Kurama thought Hiei looked faintly pleased. There was a slight pause, and then Yusuke asked,

"What are you doing here anyway?" Hiei's eyes took on an ambivalent look. _He's going to tell, _Kurama realized suddenly. This had to stop. Kurama, pasting a pleasant smile on his face, stepped into the light of the hallway.

"Good evening officer," he greeted the other man politely, giving Hiei a slight nod. Hiei looked surprised for a minute, but quickly arranged his face into the customary expression of bored irritation.

"Hey," Yusuke greeted cheerfully, "You must be Kurama. Master of the house and all. Nice to meet you." He extended a hand.

Kurama forced himself to take it. They shook briefly, and Kurama turned to Hiei, effectively shutting Yusuke out of the conversation, and said the first thing that came to mind, "His name is Jin, and he's still in training."

Both Hiei and Yusuke stared. Kurama felt like an idiot—a rare occurrence—until comprehension began to dawn on Hiei's face.

"You mean my stalker?" A small, vicious smile hovered on his lips, "Are you giving me permission to deal out punishment?"

Yusuke continued to stare blankly. "You've got a stalker?"

"In a way," Hiei answered absently, eyes still locked on Kurama. Yusuke glanced between the two of them, and an idea seemed to form in his mind. He grinned deviously.

"I'd better deal with the guy, Hiei, or you'll kill him by accident. Actually, whether or not it would really be accidental is debatable." Yusuke sounded incredibly amused, "Just point him out to me."

"Red hair, horns, fangs, light eyes," Kurama said quickly, trying hard to ignore the rush of relief he felt as Yusuke turned to leave, "Hard to miss."

That left Kurama once again alone with Hiei, who was regarding him curiously as he asked, "What was that all about?"

Kurama said nothing. Hiei raised an eyebrow, waiting. So Kurama gave him an answer. He advanced quickly, shoving Hiei back against the wall into the shadows. He tilted the smaller man's face up and kissed him roughly, trying to convey his message. He was delighted when Hiei responded in kind, winding his fingers into Kurama's long, red hair and parting his lips. The noise he made sent chills all through Kurama's body, and he shivered, pressing their bodies closer together.

"Ahem."

Kurama jerked away from Hiei, clenching his fists in annoyance. Hiei slipped out from behind him and beat a hasty retreat down the hallway without a second glance. Kurama gazed after him for a moment before turning a livid gaze on the man who had interrupted them.

"Is there something I can do for you?" he asked tightly.

The other man smirked and pushed his sunglasses up on his nose. "The better question would be to ask what I could do for you. I thought you might like to know I brought the girl. You seem to know her brother well enough," here he smirked, "to keep them away from each other for now. Just some advice."

Kurama's expression turned contemplative. "You brought her with you?"

The man with the sunglasses snorted and reversed direction. "She came. And she'll be looking for you soon enough."

Kurama shifted uneasily. Somehow, that last statement had seemed slightly ominous.

* * *

Yusuke grinned widely as he pushed through the crowd. So Hiei had finally found himself a lover. It had to have been obvious if even a casual bystander like himself had picked up on it. There had been so much sexual tension between them Yusuke was sure he could have sliced through it with a knife. It was stifling. The crowds in the doorway were not much better, either.

He pushed through them in annoyance, completely ignoring the furious looks he was receiving from the people whose feet he was stepping on. Well, they should have been wearing open toed shoes with heels that high. It was ridiculous.

Scanning the throng of people, he determined that the one he was seeking was definitely not standing by the door. Time to try another room. He barreled through a cluster of scantily dressed women and barged into another room filled with chattering guests. The older ones held expensive looking glasses of champagne, while the younger ones tossed around cans of soda. Three boys at the end of the room were frantically trying to piece together what looked like a shattered vase, and blaming it all on each other.

Suddenly, he honed in on a tall figure standing near the middle of the room, looking frustrated. That was his man. Yusuke sized him up as he approached, taking in the muscles and the quick blue eyes.

"Hey," he greeted, still grinning like a shark, "Looking for someone?"

The redhead glanced over, looked him up and down, then smirked back, his whole posture screaming his eagerness for a fight. "Maybe. What's it teh you?"

"Why don't we settle this somewhere else?" Yusuke suggested.

"Not backin' down, are ya?" he teased, eyes glowing.

"Hell no!" Yusuke snorted, "But there'd be more room outside to move. Meet you in five. Front gates."

"Ya got yerself a deal."

Yusuke smiled to himself as he turned away. Problem solved. Now all he could do was hope Hiei had just as much luck finding the answers to his own dilemmas.

* * *

Hiei, in fact, was not having much luck with that. He had stealthily made his way back up the stairs and was seated in a chair outside his room. For some reason he didn't want to go back inside just yet.

He felt like a fool, falling for Kurama like that. There was no way they could ever work anything out. Because they lived in separate worlds that had just happened to collide. Soon, however, they would bounce back apart and where would that leave him? Alone again.

Growling incoherently to himself, he got to his feet and pulled open the door, slamming it shut. He should have known better than to get himself emotionally involved like that again. It just went to show how much self control he really lacked.

Someone was in the room. She turned around quickly, bowing in apology. "Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to…" her voice trailed off. His heart stopped.

"Yukina."

* * *

Closing notes: I hope I didn't overdo Jin's accent. I dunno. I write the way I speak, so if I were reading this aloud the accent would make more sense. Also, I've gotten some comments that said this chapter was both confusing and annoying. I'm sorry. The only excuse I have is that it was also necessary. Below are some FAQs...

**Q & A**

**Q: What the hell? Yukina?**

Yep. She's a big part of Hiei's past.

**Q: And what's the deal with Yusuke? Why's he back in the story.**

To make Kurama jealous, so he would finally make a move. Duh. And because I just like him.

**Q: And Jin??**

Uhhh...well, I have a plan for him too. Yeah.

Now for my personal favorite...

**Q: Why do you suck so much?**

(-goes into a corner and cries-)

These questions from my lovely readers who see the chapters weeks before they're posted, and make revisions. Love you guys.

Love all reviewers too, on principle.


	8. Broken

"_The heart was made to be broken."_

_-Oscar Wilde_

Hiei's first reaction was shock. His second, when he managed to regain a modicum of control over his emotions, was fury. Was this supposed to be some sort of a joke? He hadn't pegged Kurama for the type to have a sense of humor this twisted.

Yukina was staring at him with something akin to wonder. Hiei felt sick to his stomach. She wasn't supposed to be here. He was never supposed to see her again, not after what had happened the last time.

"Hiei…" she breathed, taking a step forward. What she was seeing seemed to be finally sinking in and she smiled joyfully. "It's really you! I've been searching for so long!"

She took a step forward and raised her arms, as if to embrace him. Hiei took a quick step backward, hating the surprised hurt that flickered through her eyes at his rejection.

"Yukina," he said again, "You can't be here."

She frowned uncertainly at him. "What's wrong? Don't you want to see me?"

He paused, and the silence stretched on, blanketing the entire room until he thought he might suffocate. She waited for him. His answer would define their future.

He opened his mouth, and stopped at the look on her face. He didn't like causing her to suffer. But this suffering, one of distance and longing, was better than the alternative, were he to allow it.

She waited for his reply.

He steeled himself and prepared to tear apart his heart for the second time. "No. I don't."

--

Yusuke waited for Jin just outside the front doors, leaning against the cool stone walls and staring up at the stars. He was beginning to wonder if the other man had gotten cold feet at the last minute.

"Get outta mah way, ya idiots." A familiar accented voice hollered, followed by a loud thump and several indignant shouts.

Yusuke smiled. Guess not.

Jin emerged after a moment, remnants of his previous irritation lingering in the lines on his face. He was followed by three others, each laughing and chatting comfortably, despite the glaring 

differences in their appearance. One was huge, at least seven feet tall, and one was a child. The other fell somewhere in between and seemed a good deal more reserved than his companions. Quieter.

Of course, Yusuke would call anyone who managed to keep their mouth shut for more than a few seconds at a time "quiet".

Yusuke caught Jin's eye and flicked his fingers, motioning that they should move the fight to somewhere more concealed. They walked together until they came upon a somewhat secluded clearing, surrounded by trees and benches.

Yusuke stopped. "This alright?"

Jin shrugged and twisted down to touch his toes. "Well, its fine with me."

His companions each took up a position around the edge of the circle, and began placing bets. The tall one, also sporting tattoos and a Mohawk plopped down cross legged in the grass and started them off.

"Fifty on Jin." He announced, slapping his hand on the ground.

The quiet, slender man with pale blue eyes and an armored shirt smiled. "I'll take you up on that one. Fifty on Yusuke."

"You're so silly Touya!" the third one giggled, running a small hand through his short, messy brown hair. "Jin hasn't lost a fight since the last tournament!"

Yusuke eyed the three of them with curiosity. So they'd been invited to the last tournament. Interesting. Someone behind him coughed loudly. He turned his attention back to the matter at hand.

Jin was watching him with bright, eager eyes, the corner of his mouth quirked up into a half smile. A long white fang gleamed in the half light.

"Ya ready for this, now?"

"Born ready." Yusuke smiled lazily, feeling the prickling of power as it flowed down his arms to gather in his fingertips. It had been far too long since his last decent fight. He lashed out without warning, gauging the speed of his opponent's reaction. Jin weaved back impossibly quickly, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

This was good news, Yusuke decided. He'd put a lot of speed into that strike. But now Jin was doing something strange with his hands. Yusuke could practically feel the energy building, pouring out of the other man.

The wind picked up. Strong, cool gusts of air whipped the trees into a frenzy. Leaves rained down around them. Jin winked and moved in for the hit.

Yusuke ducked the punch and spun, kicking out. This time he connected and Jin stumbled. Giving him no time to recover, Yusuke advanced again and curled his fingers into a fist. There was a sudden shift in the wind, and Yusuke was thrown backwards.

Jin turned around leisurely and rolled his neck in a tight circle. "That all ya got? And here I was thinking this was supposed to be fun."

Yusuke laughed and pushed himself up off the ground, wiping blood off his lower lip. "Better watch what you say, because I'm about to shove all those words right back down your throat."

--

Kurama shifted restlessly in his seat, dinner untouched. Appetizers had been served over twenty minutes ago, and Hiei was nowhere to be seen.

Neither was Yusuke, his mind added maliciously. He told it to shut up and turned his attention to the woman who was speaking next to him. She had turquoise colored hair, tanned skin, and big eyes, which she used to wink at him. Had he invited her? He smiled back politely and turned away again.

So much for distraction.

His eyes scanned the room for what must have been the tenth time, and he was disappointed yet again. Nothing. He hadn't seen Jin all night either. A rueful smile curved his lips. The plan for using Jin as a way to keep tabs on Hiei had been an epic failure. Too bad. It would have come in handy tonight.

A flash of pale blue and red caught his eye, and he turned quickly. Yukina passed through the open doors and out into the hallway.

He was out of his seat and after her like a shot, ignoring the strange looks and murmurs from curious bystanders. He prayed fervently that it wasn't too late.

"Yukina, wait!"

His cry made her hesitate for a moment, one foot poised above the ground to take a step. He caught up and reached out to touch her shoulder. She turned to face him, tears sparkling in her eyes. His stomach dropped.

_No._

"You knew," she accused him in a trembling voice, "All along you knew where he was. And you never told me."

"No." He told her gently, "That's not true."

"Don't lie to me!" Her voice cracked and she spun around, tears streaming down her cheeks to land on the carpet as beautiful gems.

"I didn't—"

"Not anymore," she whispered. And then she was gone.

Kurama cursed and went to find Hiei.

--

Yusuke was beginning to tire. His punches were getting more and more half-assed with every go around. And Jin was taking advantage.

Yusuke knew, _knew_ that the fight wouldn't last much longer. He also knew that the outcome depended on what he could accomplish in the next few minutes. He knew his technique was flawed; fighting just for fun wasn't enough of a push. He needed a different motivation.

Adrenaline would send him flying through the first quarter of the fight; he'd dominated in the beginning. Jin would bear a nice collection of bruises in the morning.

Sheer determination would fuel the second quarter of his fight. He'd thrown himself into this fight, and damned if he couldn't haul himself back out again.

The third quarter was where he faltered. The breaking point. If he could push through it, he would win. If he lost focus, he would not. It was as simple as that.

He was there now.

His opponent knew. Jin was striking out with more confidence, giving him less time to recover. His mind told him not to stress out, and that it was only a mock fight. But that didn't fit. It never had, and never would, screw the circumstances. His gut told him that it mattered immensely.

He'd learned a long time ago to trust his instincts over all else. So he fought like it was the only thing that mattered.

Jin's blue eyes sparkled as he landed a kick. Yusuke let out his breath in a huff, clutching his side reflexively. Confident, Jin moved forward again.

_Come on, _Yusuke growled to himself. _Come on Jin. Do it. Just give me a reason, dammit. _

Jin's friends were howling encouragement from the sidelines. All but the blue eyed one who had bet on him. That one was leaning against a tree trunk in silence, a knowing smile on his lips.

Their eyes met briefly. Then Yusuke pulled himself back into the fight, bringing his forearms up to block a strike to the neck. The force of the blow caused him to stagger back a step. He tripped over an uneven patch of ground and fell.

Jin was laughing. "Oh, come on now. Go out with a bang, at least, will ya?"

And that was it. He had it; a reason to overcome. Yusuke came to his feet with a dangerous smile on his face. Out with a bang. He could manage that.

--

Kurama found Hiei in his room, staring blankly out the window. He closed the door quietly and padded closer on soft feet.

Apparently not soft enough.

"What do you want." Hiei said flatly, more of a statement than a question.

Kurama took a deep breath. "Hiei, I apologize. I never meant for things to turn out like this—"

"Oh?" Hiei turned sharply, "What, have our reactions interfered with your perfect plans? Then I suppose it should be me apologizing, shouldn't it?"

Kurama flinched at the venom in Hiei's tone before remembering he had nothing more to be sorry for.

"You go too far. I don't need an apology from you, Hiei, nor do I want one. I've offered my sympathies. Accept them or not, it's up to you."

Hiei merely turned back to the window. Kurama didn't leave, and Hiei made no move to chase him out. They simply were.

And yet, they were not. Whatever they'd had earlier that evening was gone, like the mist after dawn. He had almost been able to touch it, to understand. And now it had slipped through his fingers.

He turned away, his heart aching for the things he could not hold on to, no matter how hard he tried.\

--

Aww, poor Hiei and Kurama. They were so close...

**Q & A**

**Um, hello? WHERE have you BEEN?**

You're right. I have no excuse. Well, actually, I have many excuses. But you don't really want to hear those, do you?

**Where's Boton?**

Out with Koenma. No, really, I have no idea. Ask me again later.

**Hey, no romance? What, last time to embarassing for you?**

Exactly. I have learned my lesson. One simply cannot write romance without a beta. And, yes that was a very unsubtle hint. I do need a beta, desperately. Any volunteers??

**What's the deal with Yusuke? He seems to have more time in this chapter than Kurama!**

Okay, you've got me. Yusuke has a big part in this chapter. But, hey, I'm building the mood here people! Any guesses as to what sort of a mood that is? Right, conflict.

**Conflict isn't a mood, dumbass.**

Shut up. And, hey, that's not a question!

--

Okay, lets leave it at that, shall we? Indeed. Read and review, please. I'm begging you. Shamelessly.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to **ladyasile, Loraya, Shinigami Requiem, **and **Chaseha-Wing** for reviewing the last chapter.


	9. Secrets

A/N: I'm back! Yippee! This is a holiday present for all my fantastic reviewers. Chapter 8 was a huge stumbling block, and the response was heartwarming. I love you all. This one is for you. And this ride is coming to an end, sadly. Probably two more chapters left, one if the epilogue doesn't count. It's time for me to fish around for another project.

Some of this might be confusing. If it is, then I haven't done my job right, so please ask questions. Clarification is my specialty. Okay, maybe I wouldn't go that far...

Enjoy!

------------------------------------

"_Why love if losing hurts so much? We love to know that we are not alone."_

_- C.S. Lewis_

The house was so empty it almost seemed to ring with silence. Kurama stood alone in the doorway of the great dining room, eyes unfocused and unseeing. His mind was turned inward. Just the mere thought of Hiei caused him an almost physical pain. It was not something he was used to. Not something he had expected.

He wondered, almost casually, exactly _when_ he had fallen in love. Then found he couldn't pinpoint the exact time or place. He had only realized it once he was too far gone to stop.

And now he had lost that love, and his heart was breaking. There was always a price to be paid after a grand failure. This time he was the one paying.

"Kurama?"

He whirled, startled. Shizuru stood a few feet away, her arm slung around Kuwabara's shoulders. She looked pale, dark circles apparent under her eyes. Still, she offered him a weary smile. He couldn't bring himself to grant her one in return.

"Yes?"

"We're going to take off now. I already brought down food for…her, so you don't have to worry. Tomorrow's Sunday, so we won't be in again until Monday morning." She removed her arm from Kuwabara and took a step forward. "Unless you want us to stay?"

There was an offer, there. Somehow he wasn't surprised she had picked up on the way his thoughts were tangled in and around themselves; Shizuru seemed to know everything.

"No, thank you." He waved a hand casually, forcing a small smile to his lips, "You may go."

They left, and he was alone again. Kurama turned back to the ballroom, his eyes catching on the blue vase that lay cracked on the floor—some overeager partygoer. He had given Shiori that vase as a gift several years ago. He frowned, reaching out to lift it up. His eyes caught on a flash of gold peeking up from the base.

Curious, he turned it over. There was an inscription carved into the ceramic, embossed in gold:

"_It is on our failures that we base a new and better success."_

He remembered then; it had been just around the time she was diagnosed, but before the doctors had given up on her.

He, Kurama, had vowed never to give up on her. And here he was, moping about Hiei. He had almost forgotten the real reason for it all—and that was unacceptable.

Kurama closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them, they were hard as emeralds, and gleamed in the dim light. There was work to be done.

---------------

His limbs were on fire. Yusuke heard the dim murmur of voices from somewhere behind him, but couldn't work up the energy to focus and find out whose they were. He lay on his stomach, face pressing into the damp grass.

Several deep breaths later he forced himself up onto his knees, bringing his hands forward to keep balance. Then, in one excruciating motion, rose up onto his feet. He felt lightheaded for a moment, colors swirling before his eyes.

Knew the only way he had found the strength stand was the fact that Jin was still stooped, a few feet away, in worse shape than he was.

The murmurs sharpened slowly until they became words.

"…owe me."

There was a loud groan, "Jin! Lettin' me down mate!"

"You lost," Touya said smugly. "Pay up."

More grumbling. Yusuke ignored them, and the pain in his neck, as he turned his head to look at Jin.

The redheaded wind master was standing as well, and staring straight forward, a small smile twitching his lips. Yusuke stumbled over and stretched out his hand.

"Good match. Fun. We should do it again some time."

Jin glanced over and smiled more widely. "Yeah."

Their eyes locked, and Yusuke could feel his lips curving upward in return.

-------------

Hiei sat on the windowsill, staring out into the night. There was nothing particularly fascinating about it, but he could tear his eyes away. His mind had settled into a blessed state of numbness. If he moved, it would shatter. And then, then he would be forced to think.

And right now, thinking hurt too much.

He curled his hands into fists, feeling the bite of his nails as they broke the skin of his palms. He wondered when he had become such a coward. The old Hiei wouldn't have backed away from the problem. The old Hiei lived for confrontation.

All he had to do now was find that person again. The Hiei of the past would never have gotten into a situation like this.

But he was here now, and all that was left was to deal with the situation. Quickly, and efficiently. Starting with escape…

Odd. He'd come full circle. Hiei smiled slightly. He had learned from his mistakes. They wouldn't be repeated. Now he knew the ins and outs of the mansion. He knew the people who worked there, where and when.

He knew which ones could aid, albeit indirectly, in his departure and which ones would be nothing but a hindrance.

This time, he would succeed, he thought as he slipped out the door. It closed gently behind him. He eyed the security camera with bland disinterest as he walked past in the direction of stairway. They had grown comfortable enough with him to allow him to wander around the area. One of his excursions had taken him to the ground floor, almost by accident, where he had discovered one crucial fact.

There were no cameras in the basement.

-------

Touya was whistling as he walked away from the manor. The moon was especially bright that night, but at the moment it was muffled by clouds. No matter—he could see well enough in the dark.

He put his hands into his pockets and felt the brush of coins against his palm. He smiled. Chu and Rinku had paid up what they'd lost, surprisingly without bloodshed. Actually, he was pretty sure the money was all Rinku's. Chu had gone drinking earlier that evening.

He was still reminiscing about the interesting fight when something unexpected hit him behind the knees. He went down, twisting so his head wouldn't crack on the pavement. A steel toed boot found his ribcage violently, and he curled onto his side, wheezing.

"Stupid. You have been very stupid. Not what we expected of you, especially, Touya."

Oh, no. Touya froze. The voice was cold, unforgiving, and all too familiar. He staggered to his feet. They let him.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he coughed, a harsh choking sound, and added, "sir."

"Groveling will get you nowhere."

And then his cheek met the concrete, and his vision swam. He realized they had only let him up the first time so they could knock him back down again. A lesson.

"What do you want?"

The shadows shifted, and suddenly his attacker was crouching beside him. "The same thing you did. Information. Who is paying you to spy on our researchers?"

Denial was one of his favorite tactics. He wasn't sure it would work in this particular situation, but it never hurt to try. "I don't know what you're talking about. The doctors hired me to be a pharmaceutical consultant."

A huge hand grabbed a fistful of his hair and slammed his face onto the sidewalk. So maybe attempts _could_ be painful.

"Lying to us is not wise."

Silence was another favorite. After denial failed, of course.

"Neither is avoiding the issue. Very well, I'll rephrase. Why is Kurama paying you to spy on our research?"

They knew too much, Touya realized. That fact chilled him to the bone. But they didn't know enough, yet, to act. Otherwise they wouldn't have been wasting their time trying to beat the truth out of _him._

He wasn't fool enough to think he could take on his captors, even were he not dazed and slightly off balance. But he could make sure they wouldn't be getting any information from him tonight. And maybe it would give Kurama enough time. He'd said the operations were ready to go, and if Touya didn't report back by tomorrow morning as promised, his employer would know there had been complications.

Hell, Touya had been expecting complications from the beginning. Everyone wanted something to hold over a powerful, influential, rich-as-Midas heir. It was a surefire ticket to the easy life. Or a way to shatter the easy lives of others.

And that was something men would kill for. Or die to protect.

But Touya didn't feel like dying quite yet. And make no mistake, to betray Kurama's trust in a matter this important would mean death. So he only smiled to himself, and raised his head up as far from the pavement as possible.

The clouds shifted away from the moon, and Touya caught a glimpse of light refracting off a pair of black sunglasses as he smashed his head with as much force as possible back onto the ground.

This time there was no dizziness, or spots before his eyes. The world went immediately black, with the roar of a frustrated predator echoing in his ears. And then he was out cold.

------------

The door was metal, shiny, and far too modern to belong in the ornate, wallpapered hallway. Hiei knew it wasn't prudent to be so curious about it, but he couldn't help himself. Secrets were made to be discovered, and he wasn't about to leave this one last stone unturned.

He approached the door slowly, and stared calculatingly at the keypad. So he needed a password to get inside.

He touched the door, and it moved slightly. Maybe not. Whoever had been there last had failed to shut the door completely. Too bad for them. He eased open the door and stepped inside, being careful to leave it ajar. Who knew what could happen if he locked himself inside?

"Suichi?"

Hiei whirled, muscles tensing. But it was only a woman, lying in a bed in the far corner. She was sitting up, a tray of food balanced precariously across her blanketed knees. There was a jug of water and a bottle of pills resting on the floor nearby.

"No." Hiei said shortly, striding over to her. "Who are you?"

She regarded him calmly, and gestured toward the chair near her bedside. "I am Shiori. Please, sit down."

Shiori. The name wasn't familiar. But something about her manner was. It reminded him strongly of…Kurama.

"_You_ are Kurama's mother?" The words escaped his lips before he could catch them.

She smiled faintly. "Yes. But I still don't know who you are."

Hiei sat. "It isn't important."

She just looked at him. "It is very important. But you don't need to tell me anything. I think I already know, anyways."

Hiei doubted that, but another look at her expression took away some of his certainty. "Why does he keep you locked away down here?" She didn't look insane. Not that he would have been surprised to learn that insanity ran in that family.

"I'm sick," she said, as if it should have been obvious, "Dying. My immune system was the first to go. One little airborne virus could kill me if it got inside. This room is sterile. Or it was," she added, eyeing him.

"I don't get sick," Hiei told her. But he wasn't really paying attention to the conversation anymore. The wheels were turning in his head, and the pieces of the puzzle were finally beginning to fall into place.

"What is the cure for your illness?"

Shiori gazed at him sadly. "There is none. The doctors say it is in development, but will never be ready until it is too late for me. I have, perhaps, a month more to live."

And then he knew. Hiei knew what the whole game was about—the mask to hide something much greater. He knew the secret Kurama was guarding with his life. He knew the reason for all the strange, inexplicable things that happened inside the manor. It was all working toward one, single goal.

Kurama was going to fight back death with stolen knowledge. He was going to save his mother's life.

-----------

(-suspensful music swells-)

Not much left now! The end draws near!

Please review--those keep me going when even coffee fails!


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